You hoped this day would never come, but now it’s here. You have to decide if you are going to get dentures.
You may remember seeing people with dentures when you were a child. You may have thought it was amusing, weird, or even a little scary to see someone’s “teeth” come loose inside his or her mouth.
Now you are facing that same decision. Will you just get dentures, or will you choose the benefits of implant-supported dentures instead?
You may be concerned about the cost or the recovery time after having implants placed. Westwood Dental Smiles can help you with both of those concerns with the All-on-4® dental implant process.
The Implant Advantage
To explain how dental implants make any teeth replacement (dental crowns, bridges, and dentures) better, we need to first explain what dental implants are.
Let’s start with the basic anatomy of your tooth. You may know already that the crown is the part of your tooth that is visible when you speak or smile. Behind your gums are the roots of your teeth. These are the anchors that keep your healthy teeth where they are supposed to be.
Roots are anchored by your jawbones. The roots and the bones have a mutually beneficial relationship.
Roots help to keep your jaw healthy and strong. Every time you bite into or chew on something, the roots of your teeth press into your jawbone. This pressure sends a signal to your bone to continue producing new tissue.
Your teeth benefit from this because the new tissue helps to sustain bone density. A denser bone holds your teeth more securely in place.
If you lose a tooth or several teeth, it’s in your best interest to replace the roots of your teeth, too. Dental implants were created for that very purpose.
Implants are placed into your jaw, where you once had roots. When you bite and chew, your implant press into your jawbone (like your roots once did). That pressure causes new bone growth to hold your implants in place.
This makes your dentures more stable and secure, too.
What About All-On-4?
With a standard dental implant procedure, you may get eight or more implants to support your dentures.
Each implant has a cost. Also, you may need more time to recover if you have more implants surgically placed in your jaw.
It is possible, however, to get remarkable strength and stability from four dental implants. These implants are strategically placed to provide the maximum benefit.
With All-on-4, two implants are placed vertically at the front of your mouth. The other two implants are placed diagonally so they are supported by a stronger part of your jawbone.
Another benefit of the All-on-4 technique is that we are able to place a set of temporary dentures on your implants on the same day as your procedure.
You will see some of the benefits almost immediately. After you have healed from the procedure, we will attach your permanent dentures. That’s when you will understand the full benefit of implant-supported dentures.
And your All-on-4 implants are durable, too. In studies, they have success rates of nearly 98 percent after 10 years. Similarly, 98 percent of All-on-4 recipients would recommend the procedure to someone else.
Why Aren’t Dentures Enough?
Well, they can be depending on what you want to get out of them.
Traditional dentures rest over your gums. They are not anchored in position by anything. When they are in the correct position, they do look like real teeth. You can smile and talk and feel comfortable.
However, as we mentioned earlier, dentures can slip out, too. They may come loose when you are talking to a friend or a business customer. Sneezing, coughing, and laughing can cause them to fall out.
Eating is more challenging with dentures. Some foods are nearly impossible to eat, and others take a lot more effort to chew. Denture adhesives can help, but this can sometimes interfere with the taste of your food as well.
With implant-supported dentures, you can feel confident that your “teeth” will remain where they should. You can order any item on the menu with confidence that you can bite into it, chew it up, and enjoy it without an adhesive interfering with the flavors.
Learn More In Person
To gain a better understanding of how All-on-4 can help you get more out of your dentures make plans to consult with Dr. Anderkvist at our Los Angeles dentist office.
You can make an appointment at Westwood Dental Smiles by calling 310-208-4084 or by filling out our online form.
